Many people, adults and children alike, enjoy outdoor activities such as bicycling, skateboarding, in-line skating, mountain biking and surfing. Many people also enjoy doing a combination of these activities in the same day. However, it is often difficult to transport the equipment, especially for a combination of these activities.
For example, many people will ride their bicycle to a beach, a park, a skateboard park or a preferred area to ride their skateboard or to in-line skate. Carrying a skateboard, in-line skates (hereafter “skates”) and/or a surfboard while riding a bicycle tends to be challenging or even difficult since the person needs his hands to control the bicycle and cannot hold the skateboard, skates and/or surfboard with his hands. As such, devices have been developed to aid the person in carrying his skateboard, skates and/or surfboard while riding his bicycle so that the person's hands are free to control the bicycle. Many of these devices are made to fit onto or around the rider, such as in the form of a backpack or an over-the-shoulder bag, see, e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 4,790,460. However, it may be cumbersome and awkward for the person while riding the bicycle to carry a skateboard, skates and/or a surfboard using these devices. Additionally, these types of devices place the weight of the skateboard, skates and/or surfboard onto the person's back and shoulders.
As such, a need exists for a carrying apparatus which allows a person to carry sports equipment or activity equipment, such as a skateboard, skates, surfboard and/or the like while riding a bicycle, but which is not actually held by or supported by the person. Accordingly, the present invention addresses these and other needs by allowing a person to carry sports equipment or activity equipment, such as a skateboard, skates, surfboard and/or the like, while riding a bicycle without having the person bear the weight of this equipment. This also provides a means for safely carrying such equipment.